Last week, the New Yorkers for Clean Air coalition, alongside legislators and community advocates, gathered in Albany to demand immediate action from Governor Kathy Hochul on the overdue cap-and-invest rules. After retreating from her signature climate policy, the coalition is calling on the Governor to stop delaying and start holding polluters accountable by advancing a program that will significantly reduce harmful emissions and improve public health.
Cap-and-invest is New York’s bold initiative to invest in infrastructure that reduces pollution, improves public health, and powers our clean energy future. By setting enforceable limits on emissions and funding renewable energy, modern infrastructure, and energy affordability programs, this initiative will create jobs, lower energy bills, build stronger communities, and secure cleaner air for generations to come.
“New Yorkers have made their priorities crystal clear: they want clean air, they want clean water, and they want polluters to pay their fair share. Time and again, voters have overwhelmingly supported bold environmental action,” said New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe. “Now, it’s time for Governor Hochul to listen to the voters. We cannot afford more delays—we need leadership on a strong cap-and-invest program that cuts pollution, protects our communities, and delivers on the promise of cleaner air and a healthier future for all.”
Governor Hochul’s failure to act has allowed big polluters to continue degrading New York’s air quality while disproportionately impacting communities already burdened by environmental and health disparities. It’s time for New York to deliver on its commitments and implement bold policies that will lead to cleaner air and a healthier future for all residents.
New Yorkers for Clean Air is a coalition of environmental and environmental justice advocates, businesses, community-based and public health organizations, and everyday New Yorkers who believe that everyone deserves to breathe clean air and drink safe water. Together, we’re fighting for a healthier, more sustainable future for our state.
What They’re Saying
Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee said, “The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) is groundbreaking legislation that set a high standard for New York’s climate goals- in order to achieve these standards, we need the mechanism of the Cap-and-Invest program to provide enforcement and funding. Delays in the release of the draft Cap-and-Invest regulations create significant setbacks in achieving New York’s important climate goals. It is important to release the draft Cap-and-Invest regulations now to begin the formal hearing and input process, our climate can’t wait.”
Senator Pete Harckham said, “Cap & Invest is essential for protecting New Yorkers from rising energy costs, as well as from the cost of climate change, which has become evident in more natural disasters and rising insurance rates. There is no affordability without sustainability and resiliency. More than five years after the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act took effect, it’s time to release the regs! New York has waited long enough for climate action and cannot afford continued delay as utility bills balloon, insurance premiums rise and our environment continues to degrade.”
American Lung Association NYS Advocacy Manager Max Micallef said, “The science is clear: air pollution is a public health crisis. Every day that New York delays action on cap-and-invest, communities across the state—especially those already facing the worst air quality—continue to suffer from asthma, lung disease, and other serious health risks. Strong pollution limits will not only cut harmful emissions that worsen climate change but also protect the lungs of millions of New Yorkers. We urge Governor Hochul to move forward without delay to ensure cleaner air, healthier communities, and a safer future for all.”
NY-GEO Executive Director Christine Hoffer said, “The Cap-and-Invest program is a critical step toward reducing climate pollution while providing New Yorkers with financial relief on energy bills. It will generate much-needed funding to modernize our energy infrastructure, expand clean energy, and create well-paying jobs. Large-scale thermal energy projects offer a clear path to reducing fossil fuel reliance while ensuring a just transition for gas utility workers. NY-GEO is ready to support this shift with a skilled geothermal workforce and urges the timely adoption of NYCI to build a cleaner, more sustainable New York.”
New York Communities for Change Climate and Inequality Campaigns Director Pete Sikora, “Lately, Kathy Hochul uses a lot of fighting words when it comes to Trump. She should match her words with deeds by enacting cap and invest, the key state action needed to cut pollution, create good jobs and lower costs for working New Yorkers. Stop stalling and counter the damage from DC, Governor.”
Environmental Advocates NY’s Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programs Katherine Nadeau said, “New Yorkers aren’t just paying for pollution with their lungs—they’re paying with their wallets. Every delay in capping emissions means higher insurance costs, more asthma-related hospital bills, and more homes left vulnerable to flooding. Cap and Invest isn’t a hypothetical solution; it’s a practical program to tackle a crisis that’s already here. Governor Hochul, release the draft Cap & Invest regulations so New York can cut pollution, invest in solutions, and build a more sustainable, affordable future for all.”
New Yorkers for Clean Power Policy & Research Director Anshul Gupta said, “This is the time when our state needs strong leadership in the face of chaos and uncertainty in the federal government. Our clean energy businesses and industries need stable price signals for investment and workforce training decisions. We call on Governor Hochul to rise up to the moment and lead and do what’s best for the state. Just like congestion pricing, cap and invest will also work as intended. The fee on polluters will cut pollution and raise revenue to invest in solutions.”
Environmental Defense Fund Senior Manager of State Climate Policy & Strategy Kate Courtin said, “Now is the time for New York to step up, not step back, on climate. Cap-and-invest will deliver cleaner air, help to lower energy bills and drive essential investments into New York communities — all while cutting climate and health-harming air pollution. There are costs to inaction and New Yorkers cannot afford to see these critical benefits delayed any longer.”